The Southern herald., 1887-07-09
DICK AND TOM.
A Little story Of the Last Of = Numerous
Family.

A Little story Of the Last Of 2 Numerous
Family.
They were the last Of seven house
flies that got into the sitting-roonl one
day when the door-screen happened TO
stand open. The baby's mamnia
thought them only five, but grandmana
was sure there were seven, and ] am
inclined to agree with her; for in .
matter Of flies, have always noticed
there are likely to be good many
rather than i few. And il any one
should say there are one hundred and
fifty trying ID got into the Kitchen
while the dinner is cooking, you may
be pretty sure there are one hundred
and sixty-one at least So the baby $
grandmma was undoubtedly right,
and Tom and Dick were not the last OF
five flies but Of seven; and yet ! have
doubt as to whether there may not
have been ten Of them at first Ur may
be twelve. At any rate they had all
disappeared but these two, and It was
now the last Of December. The morn-
ing was cold and Tom and Dick sat by
the CRATE, on the rack that held the
baby's clothes. They were very fond
Of the baby in their way, and liked
nothing better than travelling over her
fat cheeks or tickling the end Of
her little pug nose. She did not
like them at all, but they did
not stop to worry about that. When
she struck out for them, her fat fist was
q good deal more likely to 60 into one
Of her own blue eyes than to hit either
of her troublesome admirers, and they
usually flew away without q brush.
This morning she was sound asleep
Her milk bottle lay in the foot OF the
crib, and Dick thought he would like
get at least a smell Of it; so he flew
around and around hunting for place
to let him in. But the baby's mother
had spread big net over baby, crib,
bottle and all, and Dick could not find
a place that would much more than LET
his nose through. So he finally gave
up the matter, and went to look out OF
the window. It was showing fast and
the brown leaves that were left on the
trees seemed to be scared, and it was
| SO cold. Such weather made Dick feel
dismal, and he few back to the rack
before the fire to see Tom; and then i
struck him ali Of sudden that Tom
looked queer. His head seemed loose
and about to fall off; his wings looked
faded and dropping and his eyes were
dull.
.'Why, Tom, old follow, what's the
matterg" said Dick. But Tom did moi
answer.
II say, Tom!'' called Dick again.
The baby could not have heard hin
II she had been broad awake, nor tn,
baby's mother If she had been there
but Dick knew what he said. and Ton
knew this time; for pretty soon he an
swered slowly:
II am very sleepy" and his voic
was faint, and sounded to Dick as II !
were long way off--as il it had go
away from Tom and gone up the chin
ney or outside the door, or into tn
bottom of the baby's bottle-he coul'
not Keep the baby's bottle out Of hi
head.
"Well, should think So" said Dick
briskly, as he shook out his wings
"Why don't you hold up your head
and stir around bit, and be a re
spectacle fyPN
1T is very late and cold, " said Ton
slowly, as before, and again his voiC
sounded as If it we're away off by j
self somewhere. Dick laughed. bl
YOU couldn't have heard him If he ha
been tickling your nose at that yel
minnie.
Gold enough, that's a fact. BI
lateP Why, it's early in the morning.
II know good place to go to slee
in. y said Tom, nodding his head ST
lower.
, well. you're-you're just prepo
terous,' said Dick. You needn
bother yourself about going to sleel
! old fellow You're fast asleep nol
: You'd better 60 and hunt up yol
!. voice and see il you can't make son
! use Of it. Bye, bye" and Dick sprei
: his wings and merrily flew away
: A vase with a tea rose in 1t stood |
table in the sitting-room and
|, stopped moment to examine that, b
the rose didn't taste so good as
! smelled and he went on to the dinin
: room. He liked good things and swe
things. and didn't care much abo
:, any thing else; and the next day Z
cook found Dick dead in jelly-ps
/ which is exactly what you might ha
!. expected.
But Tom made his way 20 plot
graph Of Rnphael's Fourth Hour
the Night which hung on the sillln
i room wall, and tucked himself inte
4 big knot ID the cord behind the pictu
/, and went fast asleep Hs slsps me